In a bid to create jobs and promote local content, the Federal Government has commenced a two-week capacity building training for selected youths in solid works software.
Sen. Iyiola Omisore, a Board Member, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), said at the training on Monday in Ibadan, that it was aimed at empowering youths in the country.
Omisore was represented by Mr Kayode Alufa, at the opening ceremony of a two-week Bootcamp on Solid Works Design and Simulation Software for Automotive Design Skills.
He said that the training would not only project participants to the outer world, but would make them to be aware of new developments in the world.
According to him, it will boost the nation’s economy through industrialisation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the capacity building workshop was organised by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), in conjunction with Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation.
NAN reports that the NADDC automotive training programme is aimed at engaging youths to industrialise Nigeria and reduce dependence on imported parts.
The participants were drawn from the six states in the South-West and seven others from the Assembly Plants in Nigeria.
“This training has been seriously designed to empower youths and ensure they can compete with their colleagues abroad.
“I believe, after the training, we will be able to produce people like Bill Gates and John Brussels from here in Nigeria.
“It is very innovative and I am sure participants will come out to be better people for the future of Nigeria,’’ he said.
Omisore charged the participants to concentrate and take the training seriously, adding that the Federal Government was spending a lots of money to put the training together.
Also, Mr Jelani Aliyu (MFR), the NADDC Director-General, said that efforts of the government was to promote local content and reduce dependence on imported goods.
Aliyu, represented by Dr Fidelis Achiv, NADDC Director, said that participants would be equipped to design software, which he said, they could sell to original equipment manufacturers in Nigeria or NADDC.
“The take home from this training is that they will be able to design components for the automotive industries. Above all, they can sell their designs to the global automotive industries.
“These are rural players like General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi,’’ he said.
Aliyu said participants would be able to design in-house components that could replace imported ones, if they have a group of design software.
In his remarks, Dr Cosmos Maduka, the Chairman, Coscharis Group, described the training as a great opportunity for participants to create their startups.
Maduka, also represented by Mr Clement Nedu, Coscharis Group Product Manager for Sofwork in Africa, said that participants would contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.
“They will be able to help the economic situation of this country if they handle it well. They will be able to train others who will watch them and also grow,” he said.
Some of the participants expressed optimism that they would benefit immensely from the training at the end of the two weeks training.
A female participant, Nomso Adebayo, said that she would have gained experience, exposure and most importantly, the skills to create wealth at the end of the training.
“I aim to gain experience, exposure, networking and most importantly to create wealth,’’ Adebayo said.
Also, Alfred Ofubuike, a male participant, expressed optimism that by the end of the programme, he would have acquired skills to design and manufacture locally.
“I believe the essence of this is to increase local content. I believe I will acquire skills to design and manufacture locally,’’ Ofubuike said. (NAN)
